Deflector for increasing fuel efficiency of a vehicle

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for increasing the fuel efficiency of a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a deflector configured to attach to a front bumper of the vehicle, the deflector comprising a first surface area facing towards the vehicle when the deflector is attached to the vehicle, the first surface area being a substantially rectangle shape, the first surface area having a width, a height and a vertical axis, the vertical axis substantially bisecting the width of the first surface area, a second surface area facing away from the vehicle when the deflector is attached to the vehicle, the second surface area being a substantially concave shape with respect to the vertical axis, and a recessed well configured to align with a hole on the front bumper of the vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/605,131, titled “Deflector for Increasing FuelEfficiency of a Vehicle”, filed on Sep. 6, 2012, which claims thebenefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/532,261, titled“Deflector for Increasing Fuel Efficiency of a Vehicle”, filed on Sep.8, 2011. The entire contents of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/605,131 and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/532,261 areincorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a deflector for increasingvehicle fuel efficiency, and more specifically, to convex-shapeddeflector which may be attached or engaged to a vehicle's front bumperto reduce drag forces and increase fuel efficiency.

BACKGROUND

Ever since the automobile gained widespread popularity beginning in theearly 1900s, drivers and vehicle manufacturers alike have struggled toenhance the fuel economy of their vehicles. The average fuel economy ofa vehicle depends on many different factors including the size, shapeand weight, driving and maintenance habits of the driver and the typeand size of engine. Many compact and hybrid cars can achieve fueleconomies of greater than 40 miles per gallon while large tractortrailers have fuel economies in the range of 3-5 miles per gallon.Recent data suggests that the average fuel economy of all vehicles inthe United States is about 21 miles per gallon. With the average car inthe United States being driven 12,000 miles per year, each car, onaverage consumes nearly 600 gallons of gasoline per year. The number ofgallons of gasoline consumed each year in the United States becomestruly staggering when the number of vehicles (greater than 250 million)is factored in. Apart from the fuel costs related to operating a motorvehicle, the environmental impacts from burning fossil fuels aresignificant. Global warming and increased air pollution have been linkedto burning fossil fuels. Therefore, reducing the amount of gasolineconsumed in the United States would have positive economic andenvironment effects.

Many devices have been introduced over the years for improving avehicle's fuel efficiency. For example, U.S. Patent Publication Number2008/0054677 teaches a drag reducing vehicle attachment to a vehicle.However, such an attachment is formed from a rigid, transparent materialthat is configured to be in front of a license plate and therefore doesnot allow for shock absorption upon impact with another vehicle orobject. Other devices claim to increase fuel efficiency by magneticallyaligning gasoline molecules to promote more efficient combustion. Otherspurport to condition a vehicle's electrical system to achieve greaterefficiency. Despite grand claims, devices such as these have been shownto provide virtually no increase in fuel efficiency. Other methods suchas chemical fuel additives have been shown to provide modest increasesin fuel efficiency, but not enough to justify the added cost.

Therefore, with the cost of gasoline rising due to increasing demand andgeopolitical conflict, a need exists in the art for a device capable ofincreasing a vehicle's fuel economy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above-described problems are addressed and a technical solution isachieved in the art by the deflector for increasing fuel efficiency of avehicle described herein. According to one or more embodiments of thepresent invention, a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency is described which comprises one or more inflatable bladdersconfigured in a generally convex shape being removably engaged to afront bumper of a vehicle to reduce drag forces when the vehicle isdriven.

In another embodiment, a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency is described which comprises a dense foam material configuredin a generally convex shape being removably engaged to a front bumper ofa vehicle to reduce drag forces when the vehicle is driven. In yetanother embodiment, a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency is described which comprises a dense foam material configuredin a generally convex shape for accepting a vehicle license plate andbeing removably engaged to a front license plate mount of a vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more readily understood from the detaileddescription of exemplary embodiments presented below considered inconjunction with the attached drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a profile view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B illustrate certain embodiments of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an interior view of a deflector forincreasing a vehicle's fuel efficiency, according to an embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a profile view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle'sfuel efficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a profile view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a cross-section profile view of a deflector for increasing avehicle's fuel efficiency, according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 10 is a front view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a top view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a side view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 13 is a top view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a view of a deflector for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

It is to be understood that the attached drawings are for purposes ofillustrating the concepts of the invention and may not be to scale, andare not intended to be limiting in terms of the range of possible shapesand/or proportions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For purposes of this specification, terms are to be given in their plainand ordinary meaning in the context in which they arise as understood bythose possessing ordinary skill in the art. To avoid any ambiguity,however, the term “engage” as used herein is intended to include, but isnot limited to, any suitable means or method to mount, attach, connect,integrally connect, affix, join, adhere, etc.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3A and 3B, a deflector 100 according to anembodiment of the present invention includes one or more inflatablebladders 110 configured in a generally convex shape surrounded by aprotective covering. For purposes of clarity, FIG. 1 illustrates thedeflector 100 being engaged to a simulated bumper 160. The bladder 100may be constructed from any suitable polymeric material such as rubberor poly vinyl chloride. In addition, the bladder 100 may be inflated anddeflated via compressed air using a valve such as a Schrader or Prestavalve (not shown in FIG. 1), however one having ordinary skill in theart will appreciate that any suitable valve may be used. The number andgeometric configuration of the bladder 100 may be varied depending onthe particular application.

In alternative embodiments, the deflector 100 may be constructed havinga core made of a suitable light material such as high density foam, forexample, polyurethane foam, a styrene foam, or an ethylene foam. Onehaving ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a variety ofsuitable materials may be used. The foam core may then be covered with aprotective covering 140 made of materials such as vinyl or nylon. Theprotective covering 140 may then be decorated with various colors andgraphics depending on the intended application for the deflector andaesthetic preferences. The protective covering 140 may be permanent orpermit removal for cleaning or other maintenance by way of a zipper,latch, strap or other suitable means.

In an example embodiment, the leading face of the deflector 100 may beconfigured in a generally convex shape when viewed from the top (asshown in FIG. 2) while the back side 120 of the deflector 100 isgenerally flat to allow for mounting the deflector to the bumper of avehicle. The top and bottom faces of the deflector may also have aconvex curvature although less pronounced than the leading face 130

The convex shape of the leading face 130 of the deflector 100 results inreduced drag force and more streamline and laminar air flow when thevehicle 150 (not shown in FIG. 2) is driven in the forward direction.Reducing the overall drag of a body means that the body can move throughfluids such as air with less friction and wind resistance. In the caseof an automobile, this reduced wind resistance leads to increased fuelefficiency because the engine requires less fuel to propel the vehicleforward. Contrast this to a bumper 160, without the deflector 100attached, having a largely flat and rectangular leading face, especiallythose found on many tractor trailers and pickup trucks. Such flatbumpers 160 act to create significant drag forces and more turbulent airflow which results in reduced fuel efficiency. Flat bumpers 160 are alsounable to effectively direct air around the body of the vehicle 150,where additional turbulence and drag can occur. For example, theunderside of many large tractor trailers contains features such asengine components that contribute to drag and reduced fuel efficiency.The convex leading face 130 of the deflectors 100 described hereineffectively directs air around the vehicle 150 thereby reducing drag andincreasing fuel efficiency.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the degree ofcurvature of the leading face 130 of the deflector 100 may be variedusing inflatable bladders 110. FIG. 2 illustrates various inflationoffsets which may be achieved using such bladders. For example, anexample embodiment of the deflector 100 may include a bladder 110 with a12 inch inflation offset 112. In an embodiment, the deflector 100 mayinclude a bladder 110 with a 20 inch inflation offset 114. In anembodiment, the deflector 100 may include a bladder 110 with a 26 inchinflation offset 116. The greater inflation offsets result in reduceddrag on the leading face 130 of the deflector 100. In some cases, thedrag force on the leading face 130 of the deflector 100 was reduced by44% when compared to a vehicle 150 without the deflector 100 installed.As noted above, reduced drag results in greater fuel efficiency when thedeflector 100 is engaged to the front bumper 160 of a vehicle 100.

The engine compartment of a typical tractor trailer vehicle 150 is onlyaccessible for maintenance by rotating the entire front portion of thevehicle's 150 body panel forward around the axis of the bumper 160. Thedeflectors 100 described herein may interfere with this rotation.However, body rotation may be achieved by deflating the deflector 100 tomake room for the body panel to move forward. After the engine has beenserviced, and the body moved back into position, the deflector 100 maybe easily re-inflated using a standard tire pump or air compressor.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, different configurations of the deflector100 with bumper design dimensions having a height of 18 inches, a lengthof 72 inches and with an inflation offset ranging from 12 inches to 26inches in 2 inch increments were evaluated with Computational FluidDynamics (CFD) simulation experiments to assess the resulting flow fieldat a speed of 70 miles per hour. Using CFD calculations, the drag forcefor a deflector 100 with no inflation offset is calculated to be 106.76pounds when pushed by the tractor trailer vehicle 150 traveling at 70miles per hour. When attaching a deflector 100 having an inflationoffset of 12 inches, the drag force is reduced to 73.07 pounds (FIG.2A), resulting in a 31.56% reduction in drag force (FIG. 2B). Similarly,for example, when attaching a deflector 100 having an inflation offsetof 20 inches, the drag force is reduced to 62.82 pounds, resulting in a41.16% reduction in drag force.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate each embodiment of deflector 100 having aleading face 130, a back side 120, and multiple bladders 110 withdifferent shapes and sizes which may be used to form the deflector 100.In addition, each bladder 100 may be inflated and deflated independentlyof the other bladders 100. This redundant configuration is advantageousin the event one bladder 100 becomes deflated due to damage.

The ability to inflate and deflate the deflector 100 also makes iteasier to install on a tractor trailer type of vehicle 150 as shown inFIG. 4.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the deflector 100 having a leadingface 130, a bladder 110, and a back side 120 attached to the bumper 160.As discussed above, the height of the deflector 100 may be 18 inches andthe length may be 72 inches to substantially conform to the dimensionsof a bumper 160 on a standard tractor trailer vehicle 150. Thedimensions of the deflector 100 may range from a height of 10 inches to24 inches, and a length of 60 inches to 94 inches. It is understood thatthe greater the surface area of the bumper, the greater the drag force.Therefore, the greater the dimensions of the height and length of thedeflector 100, the greater the percentage of reduction of the drag forcethat is exerted on the vehicle 150 and bumper 160 with the attacheddeflector 100, as compared to the drag force that is exerted on avehicle 150 and bumper 160 without the attached deflector 100. In anembodiment, the deflector 100 may include a mounting platform beingsubstantially integral with leading face, wherein the mounting platformis configured to attach an electronic toll-collection transponder.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment in which the deflector 100 may beengaged to the front bumper 160 of a vehicle 150 using fasteners 180 ina manner as to not impede with the function of the wheel 170. In anembodiment, the fasteners 180 may be a set of straps and lashings,however one having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that avariety of suitable methods exist for engaging the deflector 100 to avehicle bumper 160 depending on the particular geometry of the bumper160.

FIG. 6 illustrates a deflector 100 having a bladder 110, a protectivecover 140, an inflatable valve 210, a plug 220, and cone 200 attached tothe bumper 160 of vehicle 150. The cone 200 may act to further reducedrag on the leading face 130 of the deflector 100 by directing air flowaround the deflector 100. One having ordinary skill in the art willappreciate that the size, shape and placement of such cone 200 may varydepending on the particular application. The cone 200 may be formedintegrally with the deflector 100 by way of an inflatable bladder 110 ora foam core. In some embodiments, the cone 200 may be removable from thedeflector 100 to allow use of the deflector 100 without the cone 200 orfor use with interchangeable structures. Apart from the functionalaspects that the cone 200 provides, they also provide a novel decorativeelement. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate thedecorative possibilities such shapes present.

According to an embodiment of the present invention and referring toFIG. 7, the deflector 100 may be constructed for use with a passengervehicle 150 where aesthetics are of primary concern. In this embodiment,the deflector 100 is approximately the width and height of a standardcar license plate 190 and has a similar convex-shaped leading face 130as the other embodiments. It is generally understood that the dimensionsof a license plate 190 in the United States is a height of 6 inches anda width of 12 inches, however, one of ordinary skill in the art wouldunderstand that the dimensions may vary according among differentcountries and locales (e.g., many European countries require a licenseplate 190 to have a height of 4.5 inches and a width of 20.5. inches).

The deflector 100 may be engaged on or attached to the front licenseplate holder or the bumper 160 of a vehicle 150 as shown in FIG. 8. Thecore of the deflector 100 may be constructed from any suitable lightmaterial such as a high density foam, however one having ordinary skillin the art will appreciate that a wide variety of materials areavailable for such purpose. The vehicle's front license plate 190 maythen be formed into a convex shape around the leading edge 130 of thedeflector 100. In jurisdictions that do not require a front licenseplate 190, the deflector 100 can be covered with a vanity plate or otherprotective or decorative coating. In an embodiment, the deflector 100may include a mounting platform being substantially integral withleading face, wherein the mounting platform is configured to attach anelectronic toll-collection transponder.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in addition toreducing drag forces on the front bumper of the vehicle 150 (and henceincreasing fuel efficiency), the deflector 100 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8may be constructed of a suitable material for absorbing minor bumperimpacts, thereby protecting the vehicle's bumper 160 from scratches andother superficial damage. The deflector 100 also protects other vehiclesor objects from potential damage. For example, the deflector 100 mayabsorb most or all of the impact of a collision, thereby preventing theother vehicle or object from being scratched or dented. This may reducethe liability of the owner or driver of the vehicle 150. Such adeflector 100 is particularly useful in urban environments that requireowners to regularly parallel-park their vehicle 150 into tight parkingspaces.

FIGS. 9-12 illustrate an embodiment for securing the license plate 190to the deflector 100.

FIG. 9 is a cross section profile view of the deflector 100 having anintegrated U channel 230 on the each of the top side and the bottom sideof the deflector 100. The U channel 230 may be configured such that thelicense plate 190 may slide in from a side of the deflector 100. It isgenerally understood that the license plate 190 is a thin metal sheetthat is sufficiently flexible to conform to the curvature of thedeflector 100. The U channel 230 is generally constructed of a rigidmaterial such as, for example, metal, steel, plastic, or a combinationthereof. In an embodiment, the U channel 230 may be coated with amaterial such as vinyl.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the deflector 100 having an integrated Uchannel 230 on the top side and the bottom side of the deflector 100 tosecure the license plate 190 to the deflector 100. A side of thedeflector 100 may have a slot 240 as an initial point of entry for thelicense plate 190 to attach to the deflector 100. The slot 240 may beformed by a band 235 or strip of rigid material similar to that of the Uchannel 230. The band 235 may be on each side of the deflector 100. Theband 235 which forms the slot 240 may be attached to or integral withthe U channel 230 such that when the license plate 190 is in its properposition, the license plate 190 may be secured to the deflector 100 bythe top and bottom U channels 230 and by the bands 235 on each side ofthe deflector 100. A screw 270 may be used to secure the license plate190 and the deflector 100 to the vehicle 150.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the deflector 100 having an integrated Uchannel 230 on the top side (the U channel 230 on the bottom side of thedeflector 100 is not shown) to secure the license plate 190 to thedeflector 190. The slot 240 and the leading face 130 and back side 120of the deflector 100 are respectively noted in FIG. 11.

FIG. 12 is a close-up illustration of the slot 240 in a side of thedeflector 100. In this embodiment, the slot 240 may be formed by a band235 or a strip of rigid material such as, for example metal, steel,plastic, or a combination thereof, and may be coated with vinyl. In anembodiment, the U channels 230 may extend from the top and bottom of theband 235, respectively to form a rectangular shape frame for securingthe license plate 190 to the deflector 100.

FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment for securing the license plate 190 andthe deflector 100 to a vehicle 150 by a configuring a grommet 250, aspring 260, and a screw 270 in such a manner to prevent or mitigate thedamage that may be inflicted upon impact with another vehicle or object.The deflector 100 includes a recessed well 132 that can be used tosecure the deflector to a vehicle. The configuration may also absorbshock upon impact to the grommet 250, thereby, mitigating the damageupon the vehicle that is attached to the deflector 100. As discussedabove, the deflector 100 also protects other vehicles or objects frompotential damage. For example, the deflector 100 may absorb most or allof the impact of a collision, thereby preventing the other vehicle orobject from being scratched or dented. This may reduce the liability ofthe owner or driver of the vehicle 150. In this embodiment, the grommet250 is attached to a first end of the spring 260. A second end of thespring 260 is attached to the screw 270. The screw 270 attaches thedeflector 100 to the vehicle 150. The diameter of the grommet 250 islarger than the hole in the license plate 190, which enables the grommet250 and the spring 260 to secure the license plate 190 to the deflector100. The grommet 250 is substantially flush with the license plate 190.The leading face 130 and back side 120 of the deflector 100 arerespectively noted in FIG. 13.

FIG. 14 is a view of a deflector 100 for increasing a vehicle's fuelefficiency. According to an embodiment of the present invention andreferring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 13, the leading edge 130 of the deflector100 can include recessed wells 132. Each recessed well 132 can beconfigured to align with a hole for attaching a license plate to thefront bumper of a vehicle. The front bumper of a vehicle typically hasfour holes that can be used to attach to bolts or screws 270 to secure alicense plate to the vehicle. The recessed wells 132 enable thedeflector 100 to be attached to the vehicle by using the screws or bolts(not shown in FIG. 14) that can protrude through a hole in the recessedwell 132. The recessed wells 132 help to prevent or mitigate the damagethat may be inflicted upon impact with another vehicle or object becausethe screws 270 that can be used to attach the deflector 100 to thevehicle are not exposed because of the recessed well 132, therefore, thescrews 270 do not touch the bumper of another vehicle upon impact.

In an embodiment, the deflector 100 can be configured to attach alicense plate to the second surface area. The deflector 100 can includea first channel on a top side of the deflector and a second channel on abottom side of the deflector, wherein the first channel and the secondchannel are configured to secure the license plate to the deflector. Inan embodiment, the first channel and the second channel comprise atleast one of a strip of rigid metal, steel, or plastic.

In an embodiment, the deflector 100 can include a hole 134 that isoriented substantially parallel to a vertical axis of the deflector 100.The hole 134 can be used to secure a frame 300 to the deflector 100 asdiscussed in further detail below with respect to FIG. 15 and FIG. 16.

FIG. 15 is a view of a frame 300 that can be attached to a deflector 100for increasing a vehicle's fuel efficiency, according to an embodimentof the present invention. In an embodiment, the frame 300 can beconfigured to attach to the deflector 100, wherein the frame 300 isconfigured to secure a license plate 190 between the frame 300 and thedeflector 100. In an embodiment, the frame 300 can be made of a rigidmaterial such as metal, steel, or plastic or the like. In an embodiment,the frame 300 can be made of a flexible material such as rubber, hardrubber, and the like. In an embodiment, the frame 300 can include avinyl coating to provide protection from scratching or damaging anothervehicle's bumper upon impact. In an embodiment, the frame 300 caninclude the first channel and the second channel, wherein the first andthe second channels form a slot that can secure a license plate 190 tothe frame 300.

In an embodiment, the frame 300 includes a hole 304 for a screw or abolt 305 that can be used to attach the frame 300 to the deflector 100.In an embodiment, the bolt 305 can be inserted through the hole 304 andoriented substantially parallel to a vertical axis of the deflector 100so that the bolt 305 is not exposed in such a manner that it wouldcontact another vehicle's bumper upon impact.

FIG. 16 is a rear view of the frame 300 that can be attached to adeflector 100 for increasing a vehicle's fuel efficiency, according toan embodiment of the present invention. The frame 300 can include afastener with a threaded hole such as a nut 307 that is attached to theframe 300. The nut 307 can align with the hole 304 such that the bolt305 can be inserted through the hole 304, then through the hole 134 asshown in FIG. 14, and fastened to the nut 307. This configurationenables the frame 300 to be attached to the deflector 100 such that thebolt 305 is oriented substantially parallel to the vertical axis of thedeflector 100. Such vertical orientation of the bolt 305 relative to thedeflector 100 can minimize the damage to another vehicle upon impactbecause the bolt 305 is not exposed to the other vehicle.

The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, has beendescribed with reference to specific embodiments. However, theillustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modificationsand variations are possible in view of the above teachings. Theembodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications, to therebyenable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention andvarious embodiments with various modifications as may be suited to theparticular use contemplated.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a deflector configuredto attach to a front bumper of a vehicle, the deflector comprising: afirst surface area facing towards the vehicle when the deflector isattached to the vehicle, the first surface area being a substantiallyrectangle shape, the first surface area having a width, a height and avertical axis, the vertical axis substantially bisecting the width ofthe first surface area; a second surface area facing away from thevehicle when the deflector is attached to the vehicle, the secondsurface area being a substantially concave shape with respect to thevertical axis; a recessed well configured to align with a hole on thefront bumper of the vehicle; and a frame configured to securely attachto the deflector via a screw, wherein the screw is orientedsubstantially parallel to a vertical axis of the deflector.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the deflector is configured to attach alicense plate to the second surface area.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the deflector is constructed from at least one of a high densityfoam material or a rubber material.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, whereinthe high density foam material is at least one of polyurethane foam,styrene foam, or ethylene foam.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2, thedeflector further comprising a first channel on a top side of thedeflector and a second channel on a bottom side of the deflector,wherein the first channel and the second channel are configured tosecure the license plate to the deflector.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5,wherein the first channel and the second channel comprise at least oneof a strip of rigid metal, steel, or plastic.
 7. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the frame is configured to secure a license plate between theframe and the deflector.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the screwis placed inside a recessed well formed on a leading face of thedeflector.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the frame comprises avinyl coating.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a frameconfigured to attach to the deflector, the frame comprising a firstchannel and a second channel, wherein the first channel and the secondchannel are configured to secure a license plate to the frame.